"H-Hi, Miori... how are you?"
Renji’s hesitant, almost reverential voice cos through Miori’s phone.
anwhile, Miori lounges comfortably in her enormous bathtub — a bath she decided to take after her usual evening kickboxing training session.
"How am I? I don’t know, Renji. I might be in a good mood... or extrely irritated, depending on what you’re about to tell ."
"R-Right... I just wanted to let you know that earlier this evening, I did what you asked to do at Cordesol at. I taught that loser a good lesson. Enough to force him to stay ho for at least a week, but not enough to send him to the hospital... just like you told ."
"Oh, it only took you almost two years, but it seems you finally managed to make yourself useful for sothing. I’m honestly satisfied — I didn’t think you’d actually have the guts to do it."
"T-Thanks, Miori... so... was I good?" Renji stamrs timidly, with the hesitant tone of a child seeking a parent’s approval.
In response, Miori bursts into loud, unrestrained laughter.
"Do you even hear yourself when you talk? And to think I believed I had a boyfriend — instead, I ended up with a frightened little puppy. Sure, on the outside you’ve beco a handso muscular guy who always dresses fashionably, but inside you’re still the sa dull loser: insecure and scared. Pathetic..."
"Why are you saying all these things right now?! I did exactly what you told to do! Then why are you insulting even now?!"
"Because you’re pathetic, that’s why. But honestly, I can’t even bla you. If people found out that the famous Renji Kurotani — the guy every girl at our university fantasizes about — is actually smaller than my little brother, and that the one ti I decided to reward your efforts by sleeping with you, you ca before we even properly started... well, not even the ugliest girl on campus would look you in the eye anymore."
"Stop it, Miori... this is really humiliating..."
Even though it’s only a phone call, Miori can vividly imagine the devastated, humiliated expression on Renji’s face just from the tone of his voice — and that image draws a long sadistic smile across her lips.
"If it was humiliating for you, it was even worse for . With all those things you kept saying — that you’d fuck all night, make scream, and everything else — you actually managed to turn on. And all that for a useless little toothpick that died after seven seconds? Is that really what my body is worth? Seven miserable seconds? And you still have the nerve to complain about the way I treat you?! I treat you exactly the way you deserve, you miserable loser! Thank the God of Light that, despite everything, you are still the least disgusting among the guys around — otherwise I wouldn’t have even let you co within fifty ters of . Actually... you were the least disgusting."
"M-Miori... what are you trying to say?"
Renji’s voice now trembles with worry mixed with frustration.
"I an exactly what I said. It’s obvious you’re not the coolest and most popular guy at the university anymore — and that was the only reason I kept paying attention to a loser pretending to be tough. But even if you only shined thanks to the light reflected from , soone still managed to outshine you."
"Y-You don’t an—?"
"Yes, I’m talking about dear Aoshi. If he managed to win over and keep a girl like Eliss by his side, then he’s worth a hundred tis more than you. Without , you wouldn’t even have enough charm to win over the most desperate woman on the planet. And even if by so miracle you did, she’d run away laughing the mont you pulled down your pants."
A faint malicious smile curls her lips.
"Honestly, I think I was too harsh on Aoshi. I suppose I owe him an apology — for the cold way I rejected him, and especially for what you did to him this afternoon. I’m sure he’ll be happy to know I just dumped the brute who beat him up."
"N-No, you can’t be serious! Don’t tell that after I just risked getting arrested for you, you’re leaving again just to go back to that loser?! That’s insane!"
Renji clenches his teeth in rage and desperation as he speaks.
"Of course... this was all planned from the start, wasn’t it? That’s why you told to beat up Aoshi. You just needed an excuse to get close to him again, right?!"
"Congratulations — you finally figured it out despite that chicken brain of yours. Anyway, consider our relationship officially over. Oh, and naturally, you’re forbidden from seeing other girls until I’m officially Aoshi’s girlfriend again. I can’t allow people to see you around with another girl while I’m single. Actually... it’s probably better if you stay away from the university for a while. I wouldn’t want my dear Aoshi to stop showing up just to avoid running into you — that would be such a sha. Maybe he’ll even manage to give the pleasure you were never capable of giving ."
"N-No, please, Miori, don’t do this! I-I’ll change, I’ll beco worthy of you — I’ll surpass that loser Aoshi in every possible way! Just give one more chance, I’m begging you..."
"You think you can be better than Aoshi? Well, there’s actually a pretty simple way to prove it — steal his girlfriend. If you’re really better than him, Eliss should leave Aoshi for you without hesitation, don’t you think? Seduce her and take her to bed. Only then will I know for sure that, despite everything, you’re still the best... or rather, the least pathetic one around."
"O-Okay, Miori... I’ll do it! I’ll seduce that slut in no ti, I promise! Now that she’s working alone while Aoshi’s stuck at ho injured, it’ll be easy to convince her to co with after her shift! I’ll even send you pictures as proof!"
"Then make sure you take them with a phone that has a powerful zoom, otherwise I won’t be able to see anything," Miori replies before bursting into laughter.
But Renji doesn’t even flinch — right now, he can’t afford to contradict her in any way if he wants to make this deal happen.
"Anyway, deal. You sleep with that girl, and I’ll get back together with you. Of course, that doesn’t an I’ll stop trying to seduce Aoshi. Consider it a competition: if I manage to seduce Aoshi before you seduce Eliss, then it’s goodbye forever. Otherwise, you’ll be allowed to call your girlfriend again."
"Alright, challenge accepted, Miori!" Renji replies firmly.
Miori hangs up on him.
That idiot seriously thinks he has a chance of getting Eliss into bed before I get Aoshi? He’s even stupider than I thought — he wouldn’t be able to get close to a girl like her even in a thousand years. As for ... I’m sure Aoshi hasn’t completely forgotten our happy month together. It’ll be child’s play to make those feelings bloom again. Less than twenty-four hours from now, and Aoshi will already be at my feet. It’s so exciting...
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Two sharp knocks on the bathroom door pull Miori out of her thoughts. Before she can even say ’Co in’, the door swings open.
Standing in the doorway is a woman who looks like a more mature version of her — long black hair and a toned, athletic body that would make most won in their twenties jealous despite being close to fifty.
It’s Kagura Yukinaga — Miori’s mother.
"What the hell are you still doing awake at this hour?!" Kagura snaps, clearly irritated. "In less than seven hours you have to be ready for university, and you’re still soaking in there? Have you lost your mind? Do you really want to show up tomorrow with dark circles under your eyes and half asleep? I didn’t raise you to be this irresponsible!"
"You’re right, Mother... I’m sorry... I’ll go to sleep right away," Miori murmurs, lowering her gaze, too intimidated to et her eyes.
"And let this be the last ti! Was I clear? I want you in bed before midnight, otherwise you can forget about the gym until graduation!"
Mrs. Yukinaga’s harsh tone weighs on Miori’s shoulders like a boulder.
"Why was I cursed with a problematic daughter like you? Ever since you were little, all you’ve done is give trouble, and now you’ve beco even worse! Thank God at least your brother gives so satisfaction..."
With that, Mrs. Yukinaga violently slams the door behind her.
Miori pulls her knees to her chest, lowering her gaze to the rippling surface of the now lukewarm water. Her half-lidded sapphire eyes glimr faintly.
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